opinion on colored stones lab vs natural and the way they look esp emeralds

[Mreader]

So when it come to lab vs mined diamonds I cannot tell a difference at all. I feel like colored stones are trickier and I wonder if any of you agree? Because I know that the makeup is the same as natural, but it seems that the labs are super bright in a way that looks artificial and I am referring specifically to emeralds. I have bought two lab emeralds. One I didn't keep because it had a darker color, but I just got another in a lighter Colombian color. For this one, I originally ordered a really little one (5x4) and thought it looked very authentic. So I ordered a larger stone bc what I eventually want to do is put it in a solitaire ring. This one has inclusions, which I like, but again it just looks so darn bright and has almost a sparkle to the stone that I don't see with naturals. Now, perhaps it's a mind-clean thing where I know it's lab, or perhaps it is because a really high quality emerald would look this way and I am not used to seeing that in this size. I am attaching pictures, but the unfortunate thing is that emeralds are notoriously difficult to photograph and in the pictures I feel it does look like a more natural emerald and irl. Haha. Anyway I have one more lab stone coming in the mail that I am going to compare to this one, but I was just curious about what you guys thought. Do you think lab colored stones are more easily recognizable from their natural counterparts? I am very curious to see what the CS community thinks

pic below - it’s brighter in real life

 

[mamalovesgems]

I think this one looks very natural because of the eye visible inclusions.

I had similarly bought a large lab emerald in an emerald cut and thought it was too perfect. I also had a "mind clean" issue.

Then I bought smaller precision cut round emeralds for earrings and set them with real gold and diamonds and I love them! So for me, once it was set - the real diamonds and gold made a big difference. (And maybe moving them off my finger)

The jeweler that set them thought they were really stunning and looked like very high quality natural emeralds (because they had some very small inclusions)

 

[emeraldhummingbird]

So when it come to lab vs mined diamonds I cannot tell a difference at all. I feel like colored stones are trickier and I wonder if any of you agree? Because I know that the makeup is the same as natural, but it seems that the labs are super bright in a way that looks artificial and I am referring specifically to emeralds. I have bought two lab emeralds. One I didn't keep because it had a darker color, but I just got another in a lighter Colombian color. For this one, I originally ordered a really little one (5x4) and thought it looked very authentic. So I ordered a larger stone bc what I eventually want to do is put it in a solitaire ring. This one has inclusions, which I like, but again it just looks so darn bright and has almost a sparkle to the stone that I don't see with naturals. Now, perhaps it's a mind-clean thing where I know it's lab, or perhaps it is because a really high quality emerald would look this way and I am not used to seeing that in this size. I am attaching pictures, but the unfortunate thing is that emeralds are notoriously difficult to photograph and in the pictures I feel it does look like a more natural emerald and irl. Haha. Anyway I have one more lab stone coming in the mail that I am going to compare to this one, but I was just curious about what you guys thought. Do you think lab colored stones are more easily recognizable from their natural counterparts? I am very curious to see what the CS community thinks

pic below - it’s brighter in real life

I do know what you mean but I think the difference is probably more to do with the mind. The market is saturated with diamonds and they aren't particularly rare, so it's easy to find good ones around. With coloured stones, it's hard to find examples of "perfect" emeralds, rubies or even sapphires. So when you see an emerald without inclusions (and of a decent size) the assumption is that it is "fake". I'm sure the stones they have at Sotheby's would look closer to the lab stuff!

Personally I have mind-clean issues in the other direction I can't buy a natural stone with an inclusion or speck in it knowing I could get a perfectly clean one, and precision cut for less $$. I also prefer that my stones not be mined, but that is another issue.